It started with a picture
by Miss Ellaneous
Summary: : It started with a picture. The photographer didn't realize what he was capturing.


Title: It started with a picture - pt 1.  
  
Author: Miss Ellaneous  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Category: Romance J/D  
  
Spoilers: End of second season  
  
Summary: It started with a picture. The photographer didn't realize whae was capturing.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine.  
  
Archive: Yes, please  
  
Notes: This popped into my head one night when I was looking through somld pictures. It was surprisingly easy to write. I hope its that easy tead!  
  
It started with a picture. The photographer didn't realize what he waapturing. He was just there to do a spread on working in the White House.  
He snapped many pictures that day, but there was one photo, one iarticular.  
  
Part of the agreement that allowed the photographer to come into the  
White House to do the shoot was that Leo was allowed to look at the finaroduct before it went to press. Leo flipped through the pages prettuickly, but when he came to one photo, near the end, he stopped. Jack,  
the photographer, knew exactly which picture Leo was looking at.  
  
It was taken half an hour before a state dinner. Josh had been havinrouble with his tie (of course) and Donna had finally gotten fed up witim, and went to help him. In the picture, Donna and Josh were standinlose together, almost embracing, so she could reach his tie. She had juslanced up at him, while tying the tie, and you could see her amusement anxasperation with the man in front of her. He was looking down at her, ihe middle of a quip about something, his hands gesturing in the air.  
  
"It's a good picture" Jack said quietly.  
  
"Yeah" Leo replied, thinking rapidly. He finished looking throughe pictures. "Listen, Jack, can you give me a few minutes with this?  
Margaret can take you down to the Mess, or give you a tour."  
  
"Lunch would be fine." Jack said, and departed.  
  
Leo sat and looked at that photograph again. Then he called CJ. Hidn't want the spread shown to the whole staff until it was published, ane wasn't even sure if that picture would cause problems or not. So halled just CJ, who knew the press and knew the people involved, and askeer to come to his office.  
  
When she came in, Leo said "This is the draft of the photo articlhat Jack Teh is doing. I want you to take a look and tell me what yohink." She was a bit puzzled as to why he'd ask her, but took throffered draft. He watched her as she flipped through the pages, and knehen she came to that photograph.  
  
"Oh" she said.  
  
"Yeah. Do you think we should - "  
  
At that moment, the President walked in, concerned about some bit of trivia  
(as much as anything Presidential can be trivial) and saw that CJ waooking at something interesting.  
  
"Whatcha got there, CJ?"  
  
"Oh, Mr. President!" she said, standing "Its Jack Teh's photrticle. There is an .interesting photo on this page" as she handed hihe draft.  
  
"Well, this is interesting" the President said, a smile on his face "I  
wonder if this will further things along with those two?"  
  
"Mr. President! I'm not sure we should." CJ protested.  
  
"No, you're right, CJ. Not where they currently are."  
  
"Mr. President," Leo cut in "CJ, Jack's going to be back in a feinutes. Should we let him run the spread as is?"  
  
"Well, I" CJ looked between the two men "I think - "  
  
"I think we should run it as is. It's a great photograph." the  
President said.  
  
"Yes sir." Leo and CJ replied, and the matter was settled.  
  
The day that the photo article came out was much anticipated in the West  
Wing. Most people stopped on their way to work to get a copy, or grabbeomeone else's when they got in.  
  
Donna Moss was not so lucky. Her alarm clock hadn't gone off thaorning, and her roommate had used up all the hot water. Cold, with weair, and late, Donna rushed into the West Wing that morning. She haompletely forgotten that Jack Teh's article was being published today.  
  
As she rushed in, she noticed people looking at her, watching her. Heirst thought was, oh, great, do I have my shirt on inside out oomething? Did I forget to put on my skirt? But her outfit was in place.  
It must be something else. Josh would know. More determined than ever,  
she headed to her desk.  
  
The magazine that had Jack's article was lying on her desk. Josh hactually done something considerate, and had picked her up a copy too.  
Distracted, she sat down to look at it.  
  
Inside his office, Josh was sitting at his desk, his coat half off,  
looking at the picture. Staring almost, because he was afraid that if hooked away, it would disappear. Did he really look at Donna like that?  
More importantly, did Donna really look at him like that? Josh sat likhat until Sam came in.  
  
"Hey, did you see the picture - yeah, I guess you did" Sam said,  
seeing the look on his friend's face. "It's a good picture" he offered.  
  
"The best.Do I really look at her like that?" Josh looked up at hiriend.  
  
"More often than you know." Sam replied. "So what are you going to now?"  
  
Outside at her desk, Donna hadn't even noticed Sam walked by. She waarefully examining all the pictures, to see if she had made it into any ohem, and to see which of her friends had. When she came to the picture oer and Josh, her heart stopped. It was right there, for the whole worlo see. How she looked at Josh. How much she cared for him. Embarrassed,  
she left her desk and hurried away.  
  
"Leo, I've been thinking - "  
  
"That's never a good sign, Mr. President"  
  
"Haha, Leo. I was thinking that it is time to find someone to take Mrs.  
Landigham's position."  
  
"Yes sir" Leo smiled, guessing where this was going. His old friend waood.  
  
"And I was thinking that Donna might be the ideal person to fill thaosition. I mean, she handles Josh, surely I'm not that bad!"  
  
"Surely not, sir."  
  
"Leo, are you humoring me?"  
  
"I would never dream of it, sir. Would you like me to set up an intervieith Donna?"  
  
"Please do."  
  
Donna was hurrying down the hall, clutching the magazine, when she heard  
Leo call her name. She whirled around, all the color draining from heace. "Yes?"  
  
"Don't look so worried, Donna. The President would like to see you."  
  
Oh, god. The President. This was worse than she thought. "When?"  
  
"Now would be fine."  
  
Josh couldn't find Donna. She wasn't at her desk, she wasn't talking withe other assistants, she wasn't - there she was! Walking with Leo.towardhe Oval Office? Josh started to go after them, then figured that Lerobably wouldn't appreciate it. Turning, he headed back to his office tit and worry some more.  
  
Donna entered the Oval Office, Leo behind her. "You asked to see me, Mr.  
President."  
  
"Yes, Donna. Ah, you've seen Jack's article. Good picture of you and  
Josh. Now - "  
  
"Mr. President, I - " Donna tried to interject, but he held up his hanor her to stop talking.  
  
"Now, I need a new assistant. No one can replace Mrs. Landingham, but I  
was hoping you could take her spot outside?"  
  
Donna couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Me, Mr. President? But  
Cathy's been here longer, and Margaret - "  
  
"Donna, you take care of Josh the way no other assistant could. The  
President needs that kind of devotion as well." Leo cut in. "Besides,  
Margaret stays with me."  
  
Donna looked back and forth between the two very powerful men. "I - I  
don't know what to say, Mr. President. I'm honored.but do I have to decidmmediately?"  
  
"No, Donna, I can give you until the end of the day. Talk it over witour friends. Talk it over with Josh."  
  
"Yes, sir"  
  
"That will be all for now." the President said. As Donna turned to leave,  
he commented "You know, I can't imagine what it will be like without yond Josh being boss and assistant."  
  
"Ah, um, yes sir, Mr. President. I'll give you my ah, my answer thivening." Donna said, as she hurried out.  
  
"Jed!" Leo exclaimed after the door shut "That was devious"  
  
"Yes, but it planted the seed, Leo. It planted the seed."  
  
Josh heard Donna return, and wondered what would happen next. It didn'ake long to find out. She knocked on the door frame, the magazine stillutched in one hand. "Josh?" she said tentatively.  
  
"Come in."  
  
"OK," she said, closing the door behind her.  
  
He wondered why she did that. "Have you seen Jack's article?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "It's a good picture."  
  
"It is. Donna, I'm sorry if I have ever made you uncomfortable. I didn'ealize we were standing so close."  
  
"Don't apologize, Josh. You'll ruin the picture."  
  
"If you weren't my assistant, and I weren't your boss" he said softly  
  
"Well, that's why I shut the door. The President has asked me to take Mrs.  
Landigham's position."  
  
Josh's first reaction was panic. She could see it on his face. "I woultill be in the West Wing. And I would help find and train your nessistant." He still looked panicked. "I wouldn't be leaving completely.  
Although it would be weird for a while. The President even commented ot, how odd it would be for us not to be boss and assistant." She sahen, comprehension dawning on his face.  
  
"When would you start?" he asked, trying to keep from sounding happy.  
  
"I think immediately, although I would still shuffle back and forth a bintil we found someone for you."  
  
He smiled at the 'we.' "Well, then. I think I need to take you to elebratory dinner. What are you doing tonight?"  
  
Donna smiled, she couldn't help it anymore. "Going out to dinner with mormer boss?" she guessed. "Just my former boss, who's feeling anti-  
social?"  
  
"Just your former boss" he confirmed.  
  
They announced it at Senior Staff that afternoon. Everyone clapped anheered for Donna, and then CJ said "Donna, I think we need to take you ouo celebrate."  
  
Blushing, she looked down at her hands. "I, uh, I already have plans foonight. Can we do it tomorrow?"  
  
End of part 1. What did you think? Please review, and if you have them,  
offer suggestions for part two! 


End file.
